Problems of internet security for younger generation were under discussion in Ufa

author: Elmira Sabirova

40% of Russian kids and teenagers regularly enter the sites with either aggressive or illegal content, they are subjected to cyber-persecutions and virtual importunity, the ombudsman for children’s rights in Bashkortostan Lilia Gumerova stated at the conference “Children and internet”. How one can withstand the internet threats and how one can make an efficient system of measures for children’s security in WWW – this theme has become the main in the discussion, were representatives of the Republican ministries, pedagogues and pupils were invited.

As Lilia Gumerova reported, for today the children’s Russian internet audience makes up 8-10 million users, aged less than 14, and every year this figure increases. About 6,5 million children enter the internet regularly because their schools have broadband internet access.

“Internet can be a wonderful place for education, rest and communication but as the real world it can be dangerous too” – the ombudsman for children’s rights RB believes. In the western countries the authorities started to solve the problem of internet safety for children earlier.

According to information of the US Education Dept 25% of five-year-old kids surfed in internet already in 2001. This figure reaches 75% among the kids, aged between 15 and 17.

Internet is the global network, where everything can be found without exaggeration. At the same time this is the system where the kids can be threatened. The Russian Ministry of Communications and Mass Communications declared 2009 the Year of Safe Internet and the international day of safe internet is celebrated on February 10. The declaration “For the security of children and youth in internet” was worked up by the results of the thematic year. At the same time certain problems are to the fore.

As the head of the minors affairs dept under the Ministry of internal affairs in RB Andre Shitov mentioned, the number of internet-threats is growing up in parallel with the development of the WWW: publications of extremist materials, illegal usage of personal data, involving in the criminal activity and cyber-baiting. He has reminded all comers of the recent abduction of the ten-year-old girl. The accident has happened on April 1, 2010. The schoolgirl has met her “virtual friend” in internet. One more tragic event has occurred with the boy, who found the instruction for manufacturing of an explosive in WWW. After he had assembled it according to the instruction, he decided to test it. The homemade grenade has blown up in his hands. The boy has left several fingers.

“Children are open to injury in internet as well as in the real world and it is important for the parents to know what they have to protect their kids from” - Andre Shitov said – “But the main aim is the struggle with anonymity. This is the super-hard-to-solve aim but there is no other way”.

The participants of the conference have mentioned it is necessary to open the helplines for the kids, subjected to cyber-violence. Besides, it is absolutely necessary to start introducing modern means of protection of children from the illegal actions in internet. These and many other similar actions can make the global network really safe.